There was some “trash talk” at a city council committee meeting on Tuesday (March 5).
Article content
City councilors recommended for approval a new plan for downtown garbage pick up.
Article content
“I think we can all agree that the way in which garbage is collected in the downtown doesn’t make anyone happy,” Mayor Kevin Davis, who brought the issue to councillors, said. “The current system results in there being garbage on the streets because bags have been ripped open.
“We have people going to work, going to the university or college and dealing with what is quite frankly a disgusting mess.”
An outspoken critic of council brought it to the mayor’s attention in late 2023 about how bad the garbage situation has become and Davis had to agree.
“This is something that we need to correct and address.”’
Davis said it’s time the city made a concentrated effort to make the downtown as clean and safe as possible.
Article content
Under the proposed plan downtown garbage pick up would continue to take place six days a week Monday to Saturday.
But the collection time would change to 7 am to 8:30 am from 9:30 am to 11 am Garbage could be put out for pick up between 12 am to 7 am instead of 12 am to 9 am
Plans also call for garbage drop-off bins to be placed in the municipal parking lot at the Dalhousie Street and King Street intersection.
The city has plans to replace the infrastructure along Dalhousie and Colborne Streets over the next couple of years. Once that work is done, there will be no more garbage bag placed on the sidewalk for pick up. Instead, garbage will be garbage receptacles placed strategically throughout the downtown.
People and business owners will take their garbage to those receptacles, Davis said.
Article content
“The downtown collection system is going to change anyways in the next three to four years,” Davis said. “This plan will act as a bridge to help businesses and those who live and work in the downtown get used to new system.
“Hopefully, in the meantime, it will result in less garbage being left on the side walk and a cleaner downtown,” Davis said.
The proposal has been endorsed by the Downtown Brantford BIA (Business Improvement Area), Barbara Sutherland, the BIA’s chair told councillors.
The proposal will come before city council for approval on March 26.
Meanwhile, councilors also recommended for approval a change in garbage collection day for nearly 5,000 residents in Wards 4 and 5.
Starting the week of May 6, 2,832 Ward 5 residents will have their garbage collection day moved to Tuesday from Monday. In Ward 4, 2,018 residents will have their collection day moved to Wednesday from Tuesday.
No changes are planned for those residents whose garbage pick up days are on Thursday or Friday.
The city has developed a communications plan to ensure affected property owners are aware of the change. The plan includes a ‘door hanger’ information notice which will be delivered in April, three weeks before the changes take effect.
City officials say the changes are the result of growth in the affected areas which has made it difficult for garbage collection to be completed in the allotted time.
twitter.com/EXPVBall
Share this article in your social network